Football: Week 4 MVPs
Glenbard North junior running back Justin Jackson and Bartlett senior cornerback Nick Garcia have earned Daily Herald MVP honors for the performances in Week 4 of the high school football season.
Jackson rushed for a school-record 351 yards as the Panthers defeated Glenbard East, while Garcia intercepted 3 passes in a victory over Metea Valley, returning one of them for a touchdown.
OFFENSIVE MVP
Justin Jackson, Glenbard North: Jackson had a career day for the Panthers in a 56-14 DuPage Valley Conference win over Glenbard East. The 6-foot, 175-pound junior running back needed only 12 carries to rush for a program-record 351 yards — a 29-yard average — and 4 touchdowns. Jackson added an 82-yard kick return for a fifth touchdown.
OFFENSIVE RUNNERS-UP
JT Beasley, Dundee-Crown: This wingback was a two-dimensional force in Dundee-Crown’s 35-21 victory over defending Class 6A champion Prairie Ridge. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound senior led the Chargers with 120 yards on 11 carries, including a 64-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that gave D-C a 14-point lead. Beasley also led his team in receiving with 4 catches for 71 yards as D-C improved to 3-1.
Jack Deichl, Libertyville: Jack kept jacking the football, and his receivers kept catching it. The 6-foot-5 senior quarterback threw for a career-high 309 yards on 24-of-34 passing, as the Wildcats beat Warren 42-24. He fired 4 touchdown passes, including three to Austin Williams. Deichl also ran for a score from 8 yards out and completed a PAT toss to Williams.
Bobby Hess, Geneva: Plagued by injury and inexperience at quarterback, if Geneva was going to break into the win column it would be done on the ground. Enter Bobby Hess. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound senior tailback carried 21 times for 246 yards and 5 touchdowns, of 54, 4, 8, 80 and 3 yards in the Vikings’ first win, 56-23 over Upstate Eight River foe Larkin.
Ethan Olles, Palatine: There has been a different cast of characters on offense than the Pirates expected, but that hasn’t slowed the production of Olles. The senior quarterback threw for 321 yards and 2 touchdowns and also ran for 60 yards and another touchdown in the Palatine’s 49-14 win over Hersey
DEFENSIVE MVP
Nick Garcia, Bartlett: Garcia enjoyed every cornerback’s dream game in a 47-27 victory at Metea Valley. The 5-foot-6, 160-pound senior intercepted 3 passes and returned his final pick 52 yards for the game’s final touchdown. Garcia also added 2 tackles and broke up 2 other passes to help Bartlett improve to 3-1.
DEFENSIVE RUNNERS-UP
Reece Conroyd, St. Charles North: The North Stars were another team in search of victory No. 1. They got it in the form of a 49-0 blanking of Upstate Eight River opponent Elgin. Conroyd, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound junior linebacker who led St. Charles North with 101 tackles last season, continued the pace with a team-high 14 tackles against the Maroons.
Troy Crow, Lakes: Lakes fans could be excused for crowing about Crow during the Eagles’ 60-0 win over Round Lake. The senior linebacker had 2 interceptions, the first of which he returned 25 yards for a touchdown in helping the visitors build a 34-0 lead after one quarter. His efforts helped the Eagles to their third straight win.
Nick Sanzeri, Montini: The 5-foot-11, 225-pound senior linebacker scored an “A” against St. Francis’ Wing-T in Montini’s 28-7 Suburban Christian Blue victory. Sanzeri’s 15 tackles led the Broncos. On two consecutive possessions he helped deny the Spartans inside Montini’s 11-yard line, making a tackle for loss and breaking up a fourth-down pass.
Sam Yoshino, Wheeling: Wheeling fumbled twice in its own end in the fourth quarter, and that was when Yoshino took over, helping the defense hold Hoffman Estates scoreless in those drives and also in overtime. The junior linebacker made 13 tackles in the 26-20 win and also had two pass breakups, one of which led to an interception.